Britton not pitching back to back games yet

[Three Run Homer]

The O's had a rare save opportunity tonight, but it was given to Brad Brach rather than Zach Britton.  Britton appeared in yesterday's game and in Friday's game but was held out tonight.

Clearly Buck is being cautious about letting Britton pitch back to back games.  I'm not questioning this strategy given the importance of minimizing injury risk.  But there is no chance the O's will be able to trade Britton for anything close to his true worth until he can resume the closer role and show that he can handle back-to-back games.  Hopefully he will reach that stage in the next two weeks...and hopefully the Dodgers and other suitors can wait that long.  

[ReclaimTheCrown]

Was thinking the same thing tonight....clearly concerning for all the discussion of getting a huge haul for him. It's already past the midway point in July...not good.

[sportsfan8703]

A team like the Dodgers doesn't need Britton to pitch in b2b games right away. I think he's proven he's healthy. He's had about 10 appearances since his rehab stint began. 

[Bahama O's Fan]

They might have also been showcasing Brach.

[bobmc]

Buck:

"At some point Zach’s going to get more into that mix, obviously. If Brad hadn’t had two days off and hadn’t pitched just once since the break ... Brad needed to get back out there. He was strong, almost too strong. I came into the game hoping this would be a good opportunity to pitch him back-to-back with the long layover from the day game to the night game. He’s done that down below. It’s not like he’s never done it. But Zach is close to doing what he’s done for us in the past.”

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/07/orioles-find-recipe-for-first-second-half-win.html

[Larry18]

Buck managing like every game like it's the playoffs /s

[MCO'sFan]

1 hour ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

They might have also been showcasing Brach.

That was my thinking as well when Brach came in.

[99ct]

9 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

A team like the Dodgers doesn't need Britton to pitch in b2b games right away. I think he's proven he's healthy. He's had about 10 appearances since his rehab stint began. 

The LAD may not "need" back-to-back games, but it certainly affects the price they'll pay. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, 99ct said:

The LAD may not "need" back-to-back games, but it certainly affects the price they'll pay. 

I don't see why.  As long as they think he will be full speed by the playoffs.  Not like they are in a tight divisional race.

[sportsfan8703]

1 hour ago, bobmc said:

Buck:

"At some point Zach’s going to get more into that mix, obviously. If Brad hadn’t had two days off and hadn’t pitched just once since the break ... Brad needed to get back out there. He was strong, almost too strong. I came into the game hoping this would be a good opportunity to pitch him back-to-back with the long layover from the day game to the night game. He’s done that down below. It’s not like he’s never done it. But Zach is close to doing what he’s done for us in the past.”

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/07/orioles-find-recipe-for-first-second-half-win.html

Makes sense. We're just not used to thinking about rest when it comes to top relievers because we never have leads anymore. 

[Aristotelian]

2 hours ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

They might have also been showcasing Brach.

Probably both are true. They know they aren't going to get full value for Britton right now. Might as well put forth Brach as a closer option and see if he can convince some teams to give up something good. Unfortunately Britton's injury timing was terrible both for the Orioles and for his trade value. I see Brach as the biggest chip the Orioles have right now for a retool scenario, which seems to be the direction they are headed. Then hope to get something better for Britton next year if we are in the same situation.

[99ct]

2 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

I don't see why.  As long as they think he will be full speed by the playoffs.  Not like they are in a tight divisional race.

Maybe I'm viewing baseball players too much like commodities, but if a pitcher has a physical limitation, then he should be worth a lower price. Moreover, the physical limitation also introduces uncertainty (who's to say he'll be back to full speed?), which also drives down price. 

[Can_of_corn]

 

[SteveA]

I don't think Buck gives a damn about "showcasing".   Britton and Brach will get in games when they do.   Britton hadn't gone back to back games because Buck felt he wasn't ready to, now he will.

There will be scouts at all of our games.   Pitching Zach or Brach one night as opposed to another to another to "showcase" him is silly, and I doubt it plays into Buck's usage of the pitchers at all.

I'm sure Buck is aware that we might deal them (and MAYBE even involved in the trade discussions).   But when the game is being played between the lines Buck is managing to win games (not always tonight's, he's always thinking several games ahead of course.. but he is managing for baseball reasons and "showcasing" has nothing to do with it).

IMO, the ONLY concession Buck would make in his managing in regards to situations like this is if we were really close to a deal for someone he might take him out of the lineup.   That's it.   But any speculation that BUck's pitching moves have anything to do with showcasing players, I think is ridiculous.